I'm going to anger a few people with this post but, believe me please it is just an idle thought and not really meant to get up anyone's nose.
I am beginning to think that Steve Bruce has received more praise and thanks than he actually deserves.
When he came in that first season, admittedly to a club that was in tatters, he had from October to May, (8 months), to stop the rot, well he did manage that.
Having stopped the rot and having been quite heavily backed in the transfer windows, we somehow had an almost successful season, without producing anything approaching attractive football, apart from the odd 45 minutes here and there.
Then comes this season, where we started off with quite promising performances, for two games, then we went back to performing like we were in our first season in the championship.
There is therefore a line of thought running around my head, that says maybe Mr Bruce was lucky in his second season, to have John Terry guiding players.
Mr Bruce had two years as our manager and to be honest we have not progressed since he joined us but, merely stood still.
There is a good argument that we actually could have been better off being relegated a second time.
It could have been easier, cheaper and faster to put the club back on an even keel in a lower division. It would certainly have eased fan pressure for an immediate return to the premiership.